Sept. 30, 1921

Comrade Trotsky!

I would very much ask you to read the enclosed dispatch from Martens and, together with my letter, send it to comrade Molotov for all members of the Politburo.

Just now (7½ o'clock in the evening) we decided in the Council of Labor and Defense to summon Martens not for October 15, but immediately (in the name of the Council of Labor and Defense). Comrade Rutgers delivered a speech at the Council of Labor and Defense that was "threatening" (to put it mildly), saying that we do not wish to wait and will not wait, you are giving in to a saboteur, "we are not working for money" and so forth.

Rutgers's agitation is what forced us to make this concession (we wanted to wait for October 15—the day of Martens's arrival). It would be very important for comrade Trotsky personally to influence Rutgers in the direction of: do not leave! do not get nervous! wait for Martens's arrival!

(I fear that some of those around Rutgers are afraid and have grounds to fear Martens's criticism.)

(Martens considers Calvert unreliable. Hayward is merely an agitator, a semi-anarchist. Rutgers is an excellent comrade, a propagandist, scarcely an administrator. Such is the entire leading triumvirate.)

Lenin

Printed for the first time, from the manuscript